SANTA MONICA, CA — The United States could make its buildings more environmentally responsible and create more green jobs by taking a cue from programs in the European Union and Australia, according to new research by the Rand Corporation.
Successful strategies include inspection, rating and publicly posting the energy efficiency of buildings -- moves that have reduced energy use in the structures while increasing their value, the study by the nonprofit research firm said.
"If the United States wants to be a global competitor in green building technology, it can learn from the ways in which information disclosure, building codes, financial incentives and benchmarking have been used in Europe and Australia," Charles Ries, the report's lead author and Rand senior fellow said in a prepared statement.
Researchers looked at five key policy tools: building codes, energy efficiency ratings, the role of public buildings, the training and certification of experts, and the issuance of tradable "white certificates," documents that certify reduction of specific amounts of energy consumption.
According to study findings, important points for U.S. policymakers to consider include:
The study, called "Improving the Energy Performance of Buildings, Learning from the European Union and Australia," was released on Monday. More information about the study and its purchase is available from Rand.
A View of Sydney — Image CC licensed by Flickr user Corey Leopold.